Sleeper Time
by Ny Jolie
Summary: Based on the true story of the KHS Marching Lions (2002-2003). Just updated for the first time in months! Trumpet Trouble talks about the begining of an inter-band war.
1. Dear Reader

Dear Reader,  
I feel it only fair to first give you a bit of history on this. First, where did I get the title "Sleeper Time"? Well, someone you'll get to know alot about in the story is our beloved band dirsctor Mrs. Sleeper. "Sleeper Time" is part of our band's signature cadence, where the whole band stops and yells "Sleeper Time" out of sheer respect.   
  
This story is based mostly on my Junior year as a Marching Lion, and certainly does contain dramatized/fictitious events. I have taken full on artistic license with this story, though all characters are based on real people.   
  
That's all I feel I need to say right now, although I may add little A/N's along the way to help you understand the experience as you follow my "behind the scenes" journey to getting that 29th superior at state competition.  
  
Sit back, relax, and enjoy "Sleeper Time."  
  
Regards,  
Ny 


	2. This One Time At Band Camp

The first day of band camp was always something to look forward to. Mostly, the first day was about reviewing drill, playing games to get re aquainted, and meeting the "new recruits." Freshies were an odd breed. Some of them could be extremely cool, some very sweet, and others could try to take over. Whatever the case, none of them knew what was in store.  
  
In this world, there are "band friends" and "friends." Friends were just like everyone had. Someone you hang out with, someone you go to tehe malll with, someone who lends you money, someone who lends you money, so on and so forth. A "band friend" is someone you feel very close to during marching season, but after the season is over, you just kind of lose touch until next year.   
  
Nick, this years section leader, was one of my "band friends." He was also one of the first faces I saw when I walked in the bandroom on that first day of Junior year. Dressed in his usual, Abercrombie and Fitch shirt with American Eagle shorts, holding a folder and wandering around. He looked kind of goofy, standing probobly well over 6 feet tall. He had spent the morning getting to know the freshies, and took to informing me that most of them were prudish and stuck up. The freshies were sitting in a circle chatting about whatever.  
  
After everyone had arrived, we headed into the gym for a rousing game of "redlight/greenlight." All 200-something of us lined against the padded wall, waiting for Sleeper to give the colors. The first day of band camp was one of the few days that Sleeper didn't yell at us (probobly because she didn't want to scare the freshies...yet...)  
  
After the game ended, we lined up on the wall again.  
  
"As you know, we have 28 years of superiors to live up to, and a good portion of those years were thanks to drill from Mr. Gephardt," she began. I'd only met Mr. Gephardt once, but I knew he'd been writing drill since at least my cousin went there about 10 years before me. He seemed like a nice enough man, kind of like an old grandfather type. "This year we will still strive to maintain our sueriority, but Mr. Gephardt will not be doing our drill this year." Murmers could be heard from the returners in the band. Sleeper continued, "He passed away 3 weeks ago. I have hired a new drill writer, and I'm sure we'll learn to work with him. I still expect you to accept only the best and come out superior."  
  
One minor set back. Though this put a slight bit of doubt in some minds, we were still determined to do the best. The rest of the day was spent doing drill downs in the gym. All 200 of us marching while Sleeper barked orders, each of us dropping one by one until only one person was left. I was never the last. I knew fundamentals, so I never saw a point to the first 2 or 3 days of band camp. When all was said and done, we went home, having had fun, but knowing we should dread the season to come. 


	3. Accept Only The Best

After a few days of band camp came the fun part: number assignments and setting drill! I was assigned the number 89, and, as in years before, clarinets were set in the back-right on the feild. We set first set...then second...third...fourth...no interesting shapes...all lines lines lines! What did this new drill instructor think we were? Ametures?  
  
Apparently, Sleeper didn't like the drill either. After learning the whole 7 pages of drill for the first number, Sleeper announced that we were throwing it out. As if losing our beloved Mr. Gephardt wasn't enough, now we were 5 days behind on drill! We had to waitfor a new one to be written, which would set us back another 2 days!  
  
Those of us who hadn't lost just a bit of hope before had certainly started to feel the doubt settle in now.   
  
We got the new drill...and it was much more creative...much better...but contained one of the hardest marching formations known to man: a perfect 45-degree angle diagonal consisting of all 40-some-odd clarinets...and about 10 flutes. You try and get 50 people to reach a perfect diagonal while doing a backslide to their spot! Lucky me, I was the third from the front, so when the diagonal sucked, I couldn't really be blamed.  
  
On the bright side, clarinets moved from back-left...ad for the first time in at least 3 years, we were in front! THE front! We're talking ON the sideline, people! I started right on the 40-yard-line, right in the front. After 2 years of being in the back, this felt awesome! Non-band people wouldn't understand the thrill of being in front, right there, seeing the crowd stand up--especially when it's the OTHER school's crowd--hearing the audience sing along with "Minnie The Moocher," actually SEEING the expressions on peoples faces! What an adrenaline rush!  
  
Maybe I'm just a spotlight hog, but I loved every minute of it, and though learning this whole drill in time for FBA would be difficult, we were up to the challenge. We were the KHS Marching Lions! We accept ONLY the best! 


	4. Trumpet Trouble

During our bandcamp lunch breaks, Scott, JB, and I took up DDR. We all sucked to begin with, but got better. Every day during our lunch break or during the 2 hour break between school and after school band practice, we took off to the arcade at the mall and blew most of our money on DDR.   
  
Our group, of course, weren't the only people at the arcade, letalone at the mall itself. Shane, at this time, refused to lpay DDR, so she wandered the mall andstarted picking a fight with a group of trumpet players. Thinking back, I don't remember the whole group of them; I think Cory...Jason...and, like, 2 other guys were with them (and not one of them was Sean...this will be important information later).   
Let me take a moment to thank Shane for being immature and getting us into this mess in the first place.  
  
Anyway, we were running really late getting to band practice because Shane was so busy screwing around. When we finally did leave, we had 15 minutes to get to school. We took off as fast as we could; JB, Scott, Meagan, Shane, Katie and I (Katie wasn't in band, she was tagging along) trying not to be seen by the pigs--er--police. Our main objective was BE ON TIME! We made it to the school with a minute to spare...but as we were getting out of the car, the group Shane had been heckling jumped from out of nowhere and sprayed us all down with Silly String! After pulling it off of us and the car (couldn't let it sit in the sun, it would melt on. To this day, there is still Silly String stuck to the car), we were late.  
  
Outside the band room, Mrs. Sleeper was yelling at the other tardy band kids...we all took a good verbal thrashing, and went about our band practice.   
  
This wasn't the end of our "war" against those trumpets...not by a long shot... 


End file.
